The Parenting Center's 2026 Toy Guide is here!

Finding the right holiday gift for a child can be a challenge. Between crowded store aisles, endless online listings and toys that seem to promise everything, narrowing the choices can be half the battle.

Luckily, the St. Tammany Parenting Center is here to help with its annual toy guide, which includes age-by-age toy suggestions selected by the center’s parenting experts. And to make things go even more smoothly we’ve include a few tips that can help you zero in on gifts that can be counted on to entertain, encourage development and keep kids engaged long after the wrapping paper has been cleaned up.

Choose brands with staying power. A familiar name can offer some peace of mind when you’re shopping for quality and durability. Fisher-Price and Little Tikes have long track records with families, while Melissa & Doug wooden toys are perennial favorites. Green Toys and Lovevery are also worth a look for well-regarded options that appeal to young children.

Let the child’s development guide you. Age recommendations on toy packaging offer a useful starting point, but every child develops at their own pace. Think about what will hold a child’s interest now and what might become useful as new skills emerge. For babies and toddlers, a toy that’s a little ahead of their current abilities can be saved for later. Tucking away a few gifts for the quieter summer months can also help extend the holiday spirit well beyond December.

Give an experience, not just a thing. Older children can be especially difficult to shop for, particularly when bedrooms and playrooms are already crowded with toys that have lost their appeal. Consider gifts that create opportunities to spend time together, such as a trip to the ice cream shop, an arcade outing, a nail salon visit or a movie. Memberships to the zoo, aquarium or children’s museum, as well as passes to adventure parks or trampoline centers, offer fun long after the wrapping paper is gone.

Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

Newborn to 18 months

1) Tummy time mirror and images 2) Tummy time mat 3) Teething/rattle socks 4) Sensory books 5) Spinning drum / box  6) Activity board 7) Board books 8) Interactive musical toy  9) Push and ride toy 10) Drop box kit 11) Pull-behind toys 12) Push toys

18 months to 3 years of age

1) Push and ride toy 2) Busy board for toddlers 3) Rainbow caterpillar gear toy 4) Spike the Hedgehog 5) Kitchen playset 6) Jelly Blox 7) Cutting fruit puzzles 8) Board book 9) Water play table 10) Toddler crayons 11) Foam fort building set  12) Doll stroller

3 years to 5 years of age

1) Toniebox audio starter kit 2) Garden building kit  3) Sticker books 4) Art easel 5) Kinetic sand 6) “I Can Read” books 7) Children’s digital still camera and video camera 8) Open-ended wooden puzzles 9) Dino construction 10) Jumping ball 11) Racing track toys 12) Pretend play costumes

5 years to 8 years of age

1) LED drawing board 2) 3Doodler 3) Alien dissection kit 4) Marble run 5) Handheld microscope 6) Decorate water bottle 7) Claw machine 8) Nex Playground 9) Karaoke machine 10) What Am I? game 11)  Kids bike 12) Building panels

9 years to 12 years of age

1) Instax camera 2) Bracelet kit 3) Basketball hoop 4) Crunch lab 5) Spa headbands 6) Laser Tag 7) Rocket launcher 8) Bubble letter necklace 9)  Magic kit 10) Telescope 11) ”Serafina” book series 12) Pottery wheel